Austin Trout, 'Canelo' Alvarez make weight, set for final showdown

SAN ANTONIO -- The final act before that special moment -- that special championship opening bell moment tonight in the Alamodome -- played out peacefully in the middle of a downtown San Antonio intersection on a beautiful, sun-splashed spring Friday afternoon.

Austin Trout, the WBA world junior middleweight world champion, stepped onto the scales next, weighing in at 153pounds.

And just like that, the final hurdle was cleared, the final hoopla for thousands of fans was in the rear-view mirror.

With 40,000 fans screaming and millions around the world watching on Showtime, Trout will step into that squared-off jungle that is a boxing ring, putting his 26-0 (14 knockouts) record on the line, and Alvarez, who began his professional journey at the age of 15, will step in, putting his 41-0-1 record on the line.

"I'm not leaving San Antonio without my belt, his belt and my undefeated record, and I'm sure he has the same mindset," Trout said.

Alvarez said, "My focus is 100 percent on Austin Trout. He's all I'm thinking of. We trained very hard for this moment. I'm ready to prove I'm the best 154-pound fighter."

The weigh-in festivities were set on a stage at the intersection of Commerce and San Saba streets in downtown San Antonio.

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Thousands of fans served as witness, a crowd that sounded about 2-to-1 in favor of Alvarez.

Trout's lifelong trainer Louie Burke came out and studied the small scales carefully. Above the festivities, the traffic light silently went through its green, yellow, red rotation ... without a soul noticing.

A larger than life poster of each fighter guarded each side of the stage, each fighter with his fighting face firmly in place. Trout's tattoos were magnified -- Elijah, Kaira and Charlotte (his three children) forming a necklace in the front; a cross on one side of his chest, a lion on the other.

Smiling, Burke said, "I guess I was a little more vigilant because there were rumors that he (Alvarez) was having trouble making weight. I just didn't want them rushing him on and off without us seeing it. But, Austin made weight pretty easy, and so did he (Alvarez). We prepared really hard for this fight and I'm sure they did, too."

Trout quickly went through his usual routine,
getting a protein bar and drinking some Pedialyte and then heading for a big meal of pasta.

Trout then retreated to his hotel room for rest and relaxation. There was the ironic sight of a box of opened Everlast boxing gloves sitting next to a baby stroller. A small Bible was resting on the coffee table.

Trout went for a walk, rested, ate again, took another stroll and got to bed early ... ready for tonight's special moment.

"If I'm not victorious they are not going to let me back in," Trout said. "I'd have to go back doing what we did (starting at the bottom of the ladder) and I don't want to do that."

Speaking of his face-to-face glare-down with Alvarez after the weigh-in, Trout said, "I saw a fighter ready to fight. I expect nothing less. I know the majority of the fans will be cheering for him, but this is all part of the path I took to get to this destination.

"The only prediction I can give you is my hand will be raised at the end of the night," Trout said. "Whether it be after 12 rounds or 10 rounds or two rounds."

For his part, Alvarez said, "The more intelligent fighter is going to win. We've mapped out a game plan and we'll stick to it. I've looked back at some of my past fights and I'm critical of how I've performed.

"The key for me is patience," Alvarez said. "I know he'll be ready for me at all times. It's going to be a complicated fight, but I'm prepared for it."

They will walk the walk, they will step center ring, prepared to chase world class dreams. They will execute game plans and the drama will unfold -- minute by minute, round by round.

And then?

There has been some concern because the WBC (the Alvarez title governing body) has two of the three judges and the referee, while the WBA (the Trout title governing body) has just one judge.

Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions said, "If Trout wins, if Canelo wins, the public just wants a fair shake ... down the middle. The public needs to hear the right decision, for the sake of boxing."

Trout said simply, "If it goes to the judges, it's in God's hands. If they jerk me, that's between them and God. They will have to answer for that later."

That moment, that special, special moment when the opening championship bell rings is almost upon us. Then, and only then, will all the questions be answered. Then, and only then, will a title be unified.

And then, and only then, will one man step into the rarified air of boxing's stratosphere.

Bill Knight may be reached at bknight@elpasotimes.com;546-6171. Follow him on Twitter @BillKnightept